Frequently Asked Questions
I am a student writing a paper about affirmative
action. Can you help me?
I have just applied for a position at Indiana University
and have been given a form to designate my race and sex. Do I have to fill it
out?
I just accepted a position at Indiana University and
have been asked for race and sex information. Do I have to give it?
I am employed on another IU campus. Can I file a
complaint with the IU Bloomington Office of Affirmative Action?
I am a member of a search committee and would like to
know the race and sex of several of the candidates we are thinking of
interviewing. Can you give it to me?
Can you give me a list of all African American and
Hispanic faculty on campus?
Can I make an anonymous complaint or a complaint on
someone else's behalf?
Is everything I tell you kept confidential?
I am about to advertise a vacant position in a
newspaper or magazine. Do I have to put EEO/AA at the bottom of the ad?
I am creating a publication. What wording do I need
to add about accommodating people with disabilities in order to be in
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
I am a student writing a paper about affirmative action. Can you help me?
We recommend that you first read the Laws section for an
explanation of the various federal and state laws that are collectively referred to as "affirmative action." Second,
you should review the articles and Web sites listed here
to better understand the complexity of the topic. For information on affirmative action in general, we recommend you
consult with a reference librarian at Schurz Library.
Staff in the Office of Affirmative Action can assist you in answering specific questions. However, due to time constraints
we cannot grant interviews for class assignments.
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I have just applied for a position at Indiana University and have been given a form to designate my race
and sex. Do I have to fill it out?
If you are an applicant, this information is voluntary and not a condition of employment. However, this information is
important for affirmative action recruitment purposes. The information is not given to the hiring department. It is kept
either in the IU Office of Affirmative Action or University Human Resource Services for statistical purposes.
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I just accepted a position at Indiana University and have been asked for race and sex information. Do I have
to give it?
Yes. Indiana University is a federal contractor and therefore is required to report information about its workforce, including
race and sex data, to the federal government. You therefore must provide this information after you are hired.
This information is determined by self-identification. That is, you decide which of the five racial categories best describes
you. The federal government has provided guidelines
on who it sees as being part of each category.
Again, this information is used for statistical reporting to the federal government, accreditation bodies, and grant-awarding
agencies, as well as for internal benchmarking and review.
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I am employed on another IU campus. Can I file a complaint with the IU Bloomington Office of Affirmative
Action?
It is important that you work with the affirmative action officer on your campus. See
Contact Information for specific contact information.
The Bloomington office will handle a complaint from another campus if it is against the chancellor of that campus. In all other
cases, an affirmative action-related complaint should be taken to the affirmative action officer on that campus.
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I am a member of a search committee and would like to know the race and sex of several of the candidates we
are thinking of interviewing. Can you give it to me?
We cannot give that information to hiring departments. We use that information for statistical purposes only to ensure that
searches are reaching diverse populations.
Because it is illegal to hire on the basis of race or sex, knowing that information could create a legal liability. Additionally,
applicants are told that the information is voluntary, not a condition of employment, and will not be shared with the hiring
authority.
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Can you give me a list of all African American and Hispanic faculty on campus?
No. Although this information is required for federal reporting purposes, it is not public information.
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Can I make an anonymous complaint or a complaint on someone else's behalf?
We work directly with people who feel they have been discriminated against or harassed because of characteristics such as
age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran
status. If you need to report a situation you are concerned about, please call Deidra Dennie , Director of Affirmative Action.
Because grievance procedures are focused on resolution, it is essential that we work directly with the person who suffered the
discrimination or harassment.
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Is everything I tell you kept confidential?
We respect your desire for confidentiality. In most cases, however, it is necessary to share information with other people
on campus strictly on a need-to-know basis. This helps to ensure a successful resolution to your situation.
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I am about to advertise a vacant position in a newspaper or magazine. Do I have to put EEO/AA at the
bottom of the ad?
At a minimum, you must put at the bottom of the ad, "Indiana University is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative
Action Employer." We do not consider the abbreviations sufficient notice. For more wording examples, see
Search and Screen Procedures.
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I am creating a publication. What wording do I need to add about accommodating people with disabilities
in order to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
You must make it clear that accommodations can be made for people with disabilities. For example, you might include a statement
such as, "If you have a disability or need assistance, arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs."
You must also list phone numbers that people can call to arrange such accommodations. The phone number you list depends on
the audience you're reaching with the publication:
For student-oriented programs, you should list Disability Services forStudents, (574) 237-4479.
For employee programs, you should list University Human Resource Services, (574) 237-4358.
For faculty programs, you should list Dean of the Faculties, (574)237-4183.
If the program is aimed at the general public or you have further questions about wording, please contact the
Office of Affirmative Action.
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